TVTropes Now available in the app store!
Open

Follow TV Tropes

Following

The General US Politics Thread

Go To

Nov 2023 Mod notice:


There may be other, more specific, threads about some aspects of US politics, but this one tends to act as a hub for all sorts of related news and information, so it's usually one of the busiest OTC threads.

If you're new to OTC, it's worth reading the Introduction to On-Topic Conversations and the On-Topic Conversations debate guidelines before posting here.

Rumor-based, fear-mongering and/or inflammatory statements that damage the quality of the thread will be thumped. Off-topic posts will also be thumped. Repeat offenders may be suspended.

If time spent moderating this thread remains a distraction from moderation of the wiki itself, the thread will need to be locked. We want to avoid that, so please follow the forum rules when posting here.


In line with the general forum rules, 'gravedancing' is prohibited here. If you're celebrating someone's death or hoping that they die, your post will get thumped. This rule applies regardless of what the person you're discussing has said or done.

Edited by Mrph1 on Nov 30th 2023 at 11:03:59 AM

RainehDaze Nero Fangirl (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
Nero Fangirl
#329476: Sep 28th 2020 at 10:09:23 AM

Can we not jump into eager speculation about campaign revelations after a suicide attempt? That's a bit macabre at best.

Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#329477: Sep 28th 2020 at 10:09:51 AM

I do not think Trump thinks Biden is mentally incompetent, or that he will go to the debate with the idea that Biden is mentally incompetent. I think the debate will be a milquetoast boring thing (with the usual trumpisms of him deflecting, not answering, and flat out saying dumb stuff) but no outright tantrums, leaving, not showing up, or even trying to cancel it.

I do agree that he's a coward and he won't refuse to go to the debate, but that doesn't mean he doesn't believe it. Trump is all about embracing the reality he wants to believe, which is that Biden is senile. Because all the sources he consumes insist Biden is and because it would make it easier for Trump.

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
speedyboris Since: Feb, 2010
#329478: Sep 28th 2020 at 10:11:47 AM

I'm not watching the debates. I've already voted absentee for Biden and I can't stand the sight or sound of Trump so there's absolutely no reason for me to tune in, I have a lot better things to do with my time. If there are highlights the next day, I'll read about them.

Edited by speedyboris on Sep 28th 2020 at 10:13:57 AM

Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#329479: Sep 28th 2020 at 10:12:51 AM

[up][up][up]Sorry, I was being crass there.

As for the debates, I've given up trying to predict what kind of awful Trump will be at any given moment. My hopes are for a good Biden performance.

Edited by Rationalinsanity on Sep 28th 2020 at 2:13:53 PM

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
Aszur A nice butterfly from Pagliacci's Since: Apr, 2014 Relationship Status: Don't hug me; I'm scared
A nice butterfly
#329480: Sep 28th 2020 at 10:17:45 AM

Biden will perform well. I guess we have yet to see him against a belligerently aggressive debater with no interest other than shit-flinging.

Frankly, the best debate training Biden could get for Trump is going to the monkey pen at the zoo.

It has always been the prerogative of children and half-wits to point out that the emperor has no clothes
Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#329481: Sep 28th 2020 at 10:25:16 AM

CNN has compiled a list of 10 Senate seats most likely to flip, and the good news is that 8 of them are Republicans, and that #10 is the Democratic incumbent in Michigan (where Trump narrowly won and is now behind).

The bad news is that Doug Jones is considering the most likely Senator to lose his seat, and that a partisan fight over the Supreme Court isn't going to help him in a Red State.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/28/politics/election-2020-senate-races/index.html

Edited by Rationalinsanity on Sep 28th 2020 at 2:30:37 PM

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
Silasw A procrastination in of itself from A handcart to hell (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: And they all lived happily ever after <3
A procrastination in of itself
#329482: Sep 28th 2020 at 10:45:04 AM

Trump has been reported to have expressed surprise that Biden was coherent when they spoke on the phone a while back, he is very much someone who can fall for his own propaganda.

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
PointMaid Since: Jun, 2014
#329483: Sep 28th 2020 at 10:51:02 AM

My reservations about the debate revolve around expectations for Trump being so low he can pass them and not even take a hit...

[up]Actually seriously underestimating Biden makes that... somewhat... less likely? Probably? So, good.

Redmess Redmess from Netherlands Since: Feb, 2014
Redmess
#329484: Sep 28th 2020 at 10:59:00 AM

Trump clearly believes whatever Fox reports about Biden. And since Fox likes to portray Biden as a senile old man, that is what Trump is expecting.

Trump is someone whose views of people are readily shaped by the media they consume. If the TV says Biden is senile, he just assumes that that is the truth. For someone who likes to rail against fake news, he is himself very susceptible to fake news, without even being aware of it.

Hope shines brightest in the darkest times
3of4 Just a harmless giant from a foreign land. from Five Seconds in the Future. Since: Jan, 2010 Relationship Status: GAR for Archer
Just a harmless giant from a foreign land.
#329485: Sep 28th 2020 at 11:00:51 AM

Bidens statement in being challenged to s drug test

“Vice President Biden intends to deliver his debate answers in words. If the president thinks his best case is made in urine he can have at it,” said Kate Bedingfield, Biden’s deputy campaign manager. “We’d expect nothing less from Donald Trump, who pissed away the chance to protect the lives of 200K Americans when he didn't make a plan to stop COVID-19.”

Yes this is real

"You can reply to this Message!"
Reflextion from a post-sanity world (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: What's love got to do with it?
#329486: Sep 28th 2020 at 11:02:11 AM

"Shots fired", as they say

Someone did tell me life was going to be this way.
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#329488: Sep 28th 2020 at 11:04:08 AM

I don't know anything else about Kate Bedingfield, but damn that was awesome.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
HailMuffins Since: May, 2016 Relationship Status: Shipping fictional characters
Redmess Redmess from Netherlands Since: Feb, 2014
Redmess
#329490: Sep 28th 2020 at 11:13:16 AM

Does he do that a lot?

Hope shines brightest in the darkest times
Aszur A nice butterfly from Pagliacci's Since: Apr, 2014 Relationship Status: Don't hug me; I'm scared
A nice butterfly
#329491: Sep 28th 2020 at 11:18:10 AM

That was Kate Bedingfield, the Biden Campaign manager, not Biden himself.

But still. Dayum.

It has always been the prerogative of children and half-wits to point out that the emperor has no clothes
Resileafs I actually wanted to be Resileaf Since: Jan, 2019
I actually wanted to be Resileaf
#329492: Sep 28th 2020 at 11:19:12 AM

If she's the same person who had the team make the video of Biden approving Trump's message of "If I lose, you'll never hear of me again", she's pretty damn good at this.

TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#329493: Sep 28th 2020 at 11:26:09 AM

Holy fuck yes. I wish this woman a long and prosperous career within the Democratic party. Quippy bits like that are precisely what are needed in this modern age of fifteen-second soundbytes and arguments that need to be condensed to Twitter length.

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
AlleyOop Since: Oct, 2010
#329494: Sep 28th 2020 at 11:43:33 AM

On the one hand, it's incredibly low-hanging fruit. But still clever enough for me to smile.

PurpleEyedGuma Since: Apr, 2020
#329495: Sep 28th 2020 at 11:54:52 AM

I’m glad I can’t vote yet. I don’t know enough about either side to make a definitive choice—but I can say that they’re both incompetent.

Trump plans to lower taxes, though, which is a point for him.

RainehDaze Nero Fangirl (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
Nero Fangirl
#329496: Sep 28th 2020 at 11:57:24 AM

I don’t know enough about either side to make a definitive choice—but I can say that they’re both incompetent.

Therefore, you don't know enough to say they're both incompetent.

Also, you're wrong.

And "lowering taxes"? Not old enough to vote but you think lowering taxes is a good idea? That sounds entirely coherent.

Edited by RainehDaze on Sep 28th 2020 at 7:58:16 PM

Silasw A procrastination in of itself from A handcart to hell (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: And they all lived happily ever after <3
A procrastination in of itself
#329497: Sep 28th 2020 at 11:59:15 AM

Before we get a doglike I’d like to point out that the above poster was born in 2003 according to their profile, so it’s understandable that they may not have much knowledge of political events.

[up][up] You can look up their positions on a variety of things and issues, I’d suggest working out what you care about, now that could be anything from taxes to LGBT rights, to the environment, to gun laws to many other subjects. Positions are genrally publicly stated and you can use that as a basis for determining your political support.

On taxes I’d ask you this, why are lower taxes good? Taxes pay for things, are there things the federal government does that you think it shouldn’t? Or are there things the federal government doesn’t do that you think it should? Because lower taxes means less things done by the federal government, which can mean more poisoned rivers or more employers abusing their employees.

Edited by Silasw on Sep 28th 2020 at 7:01:14 PM

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
RainehDaze Nero Fangirl (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
Nero Fangirl
#329498: Sep 28th 2020 at 12:06:02 PM

Seriously, though, there is no reason to assume that Biden is incompetent, except for the right wing media having gone out of their way to try and portray him as senile. He's got a speech impediment, that's it; otherwise he's an experienced legislator and knows the workings of the executive branch (obviously, he was a two term VP).

Meanwhile Trump is an incompetent businessman running a shell game (his tax returns came out the other day and make it clear he's been doing nothing but losing money for decades) where he sells assets and uses loans to prop everything up. He's tried to run the government like a failing business, complete with endless staff turnover, factional infighting, and no clear policies. Oh, and 200,000+ dead.

Also, he already cut taxes once. The only people to benefit for more than an instant were the wealthy. "The stock market went up" is the only positive outcome, if you can call it that, and the stock market is totally disconnected from reality—just watch how it's gone up whilst there's a pandemic ravaging the country.

Edited by RainehDaze on Sep 28th 2020 at 8:06:42 PM

smokeycut Since: Mar, 2013
#329499: Sep 28th 2020 at 12:07:32 PM

Yeah, taxes actually help out a lot. Part of the postwar economy boom was the fact that people were actually perfectly willing to pay taxes, which in turn helped out with increased infrastructure like the interstate highway, which in turn led to an increased number of jobs.

Aszur A nice butterfly from Pagliacci's Since: Apr, 2014 Relationship Status: Don't hug me; I'm scared
A nice butterfly
#329500: Sep 28th 2020 at 12:10:55 PM

I mean. Taxes aint everything that affects your life in the political landscape, so maybe basing your vote solely on taxes may be a choice worth reevaluating.

It has always been the prerogative of children and half-wits to point out that the emperor has no clothes

Total posts: 417,856
Top